Page 9 - K9News_Issue12_July2020

GR
GROOMINGOOMING
Bob Haynes looks at reasons
Bob Haynes looks at reasons
Why is it important?
The grooming of our dogs is something
that sometimes goes on without us thinking
too much about it. Obviously, in the Show
Dog World correct grooming is essential to
present the dog at its very best. I have no
intention in this article of venturing into the
world of professional and highly competent
amateur groomers whose ability in grooming
dogs is beyond question.
However, it is an important subject so
perhaps a look at the reasons why we groom
dogs would be in order.
When I was engaged teaching both Police and
Security dog handlers about the grooming of
their dogs I used a mnemonic to assist them in
remembering the reasons why we groom our
dogs. The mnemonic is “C.H.A.I.R.”
● Cleanliness
● Health
● Appearance
● Inspection
● Relationship (Bonding)
Cleanliness is self explanatory. Our dogs should
be as clean as possible so that our homes,
vehicles and ourselves are not unnecessarily
dirty because of the dogs presence.
K9 NEWS DIGITAL / JULY 2020
Health of our dogs and ourselves can be
maintained by grooming and early detection of
the presence of fleas etc. (See Inspection). If
the dogs coat is in good condition then it is more
able to do the job for which it was intended,
i.e. keeping the dog warm in winter and cool in
summer. It cannot do this if it is clogged up with
dead hair, dirt and skin debris.
Appearance of our dogs should be of
importance to us all. A well kept, glossy coat
on our dogs should surely be the aim of us all?
When we massage our dogs coat we stimulate
the sebaceous glands which then secrete
sebum. The main role of sebum is to waterproof
the dog’s coat. However a by-product of this is
that it also makes the dogs coat shiny! Highly
desirable!
Inspection, or examination of the dog is
an aspect of grooming that is sometimes
overlooked. When grooming our dog we are
able to inspect every part of his body from nose
to tail. This regular inspection will allow early
identification of any unwanted lumps, bumps,
injuries or other medical problems. Just as
in other aspects of dog management, early
identification of a problem enables it to be dealt
with before it becomes established.
Relationship or bonding is the final point, but
no less important for being last. Spending
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